B. B. King
He transformed the electric guitar with a searing, vocal-like tone and emotional intensity that defined modern blues.
1925–2015 (age 90)·American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter·Birthday: September 16·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Born on a Mississippi cotton plantation, B.B. King's journey from a sharecropper's son to a global ambassador of the blues is a cornerstone of American music. He named his guitars 'Lucille' after a dramatic incident in a burning nightclub, a symbol of his deep connection to his instrument. King's style was a revelation: he fused gospel fervor with jazz sophistication, using precise vibrato and bent notes to make his Gibson sing with a crying, human voice. For decades, his relentless touring schedule, often playing 300 nights a year, earned him the title 'King of the Blues,' bringing the raw emotion of the Delta to concert halls worldwide. His influence is imprinted on nearly every rock and blues guitarist who followed, from Eric Clapton to Jimi Hendrix.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
B. was born in 1925, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When B. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1925
#1 Movie
The Gold Rush
B.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1925Born
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1930Started school
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1938Became a teenager
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Could drive
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1943Could vote
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Turned 21
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1955Turned 30
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 40
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 50
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 60
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 70
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 80
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Died at 90
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
- Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006 for his contributions to American culture.
- Won 15 competitive Grammy Awards throughout his career.
- His signature song 'The Thrill Is Gone' became a crossover hit, winning a Grammy in 1970.
Did You Know?
He never learned to play chords and sang simultaneously, focusing entirely on his lead guitar work.
He served as a radio host on WDIA in Memphis, where he got the nickname 'Beale Street Blues Boy,' later shortened to B.B.
King was a licensed pilot and often flew himself to gigs early in his career.
“The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”
